Yom Kippur 5766-2005
"Sharing the Blanket" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The Rambam (Maimonides, the great Jewish philosopher, codifier and physician, 1135-1204), states in The Laws of Teshuva, chapter 3, that…
Korach 5771-2011
“The Preciousness of Peace” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Korach, we learn of the infamous charges leveled against Moses by Korach and his compatriots,…
Emor 5772-2012
"Lessons from a Priest’s Wanton Daughter" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Emor, highlights the special status of the Kohanim, the priests, in the community of…
Lech Lecha 5773-2012
"To the Land that I Will Show You" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Lech Lecha, G-d instructs Abram (his name had not yet been changed to Abraham), to begin…
Vayeitzei 5773-2012
"The Complex Relationship Between Jacob, Rachel and Leah" In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayeitzei, Jacob, who has fled from his father’s home in BeerSheba where Esau seeks to kill him,…
Vayishlach 5767-2006
"The Lonely Patriarch" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Vayishlach, the memorable confrontation between Jacob and Esau takes place, a confrontation that is…
Bechukotai,Behar,Weekly Message
Behar-Bechukotai 5773-2013
"The Value of a Woman" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Bechukotai, the second of this week’s double parashiot, Behar-Bechukotai, we learn of the laws of valuations--the practice…
Shelach 5775-2015
“The Sin of the Spies--Revisited” By Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Shelach, we read of the sin of the scouts whom Moses sent out, at G-d’s behest, to scout…
Behar 5776-2016
“Bernie Sanders Meets Parashat Behar" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Behar, introduces many of the Torah’s revolutionary economic ideas (see Behar 5765-2005).…
Vayishlach 5780-2019
“The Massacre of Shechem, Can it be Justified?” (Updated and revised from Vayishlach 5760-1999) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As this week’s parasha, parashat Vayishlach, commences,…